Attack Of The Killer Grains

In this week's article, I wanted to write about Bladder Stones--Struvite & Oxalate Crystals.  To understand why pet's have such problems, one needs to know the history of their diet and the problems it has created.  Because of the complexity of this subject, it will be broken down into several articles.  This week, the history and different crystals, next week, how to prevent them through diet and alternative treatments. 
 
History Of The Creation Of Pet Foods:
 
During the depression, consumers were seeking less expensive ways to feed their pets.  Less raw was fed and more grains and cereals were introduced into our pet's diet. Initially dry dog foods either came in a form of a biscuit or a pellet. In the 1950's Purina invented the extrusion process. They created a kibble that was larger in size, but lighter in weight giving the appearance that you were getting more for less (the start of the deception they give their consumers). The sales of processed foods opened the doors for mill operators and dealers. It gave them a good source to sell their by-products in the pet industry. Slaughterhouses were also available to sell non-human grade, diseased meats, unusable parts, and meat by-products to pet food manufacturers. This created a market for products that previously had been discarded.
 
Keep in mind that grains such as corn, wheat and even rice provide low-cost calories, their high carbohydrate content contributes to obesity, diabetes, kidney stones/struvite crystals, behavior problems, allergies, skin/coat problems and a host of other health problems in cats and dogs. 
 
There is a myth that high protein foods are bad for pets and cause kidney problems.  First it is important that you give your pet a high quality protein.  High quality protein is digestible and produces fewer nitrogen by-products.  Protein that is given as a fresh meat or canned has a high percent of water that helps to flush it through the kidneys.
 
Therefore the problem with crystals starts with a grain-based diet.  Foods made with grains (corn, wheat, rice etc) can cause alkaline urine in dogs and cats. Magnesium reacts with alkaline urine to cause crystals. Most "prescription/dissolution/preventative" clinic diets take out the magnesium to prevent this reaction, even though magnesium is essential, especially for the nervous system. Reducing magnesium may cause a host of other negative health issues. "In fact, reducing the magnesium levels in cat food can cause increased excretion of calcium from the kidneys, leading to the formation of calcium oxalate stones in the bladder".(1) 

Two Different Types of Crystals: 
 
Struvites:  Also called 'triple phosphate'(magnesium ammonium phosphate) are the most commonly seen with urinary tract infections and most frequently seen in females. These type of crystals are seen in young dogs (under a year) or in middle aged or older dogs. Struvites are almost always accompanied by bacteria that create a high alkaline pH. In cats, struvite stones form in the absence of a bladder infection.  Struvite Crystals are most common and the symptoms include frequent urination, straining to urinate and blood in the urine.  
 
Calcium Oxalate:
Calcium Oxalate crystals tend to affect more males than females. The pH in dogs with these types of crystals is usually acidic or neutral. It is thought that some dogs that are more prone to these types of stones have an inherited weakness that prevents them from forming nephrocalein, which prevents calcium oxalate stone formation. While these stones are mostly treated by surgically removing them, there has been some success with reducing the oxalate rich foods in the diet and working to alkalize the urine pH.  

Kristina 
 
 
1.  Messonnier, Shawn DVM, Natural Health Bible, pg. 41

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